Matt Skilbeck
Matthew James "Matt Skilbeck was a long running character in Emmerdale Farm for almost 20 years from the shows beginning in October 1972 to December 1989. He was the gentle shepherd who was a honest and reliable farm worker. He first appeared on the 16 October 1972 and last appeared on 7 December 1989. Matt was married to Peggy and then Dolly Acaster from 1978 to 1991. He was played by actor Frederick Pyne. Biography Backstory Matt Skilbeck was born in about 1945 in Beckindale the son of Oliver and Elizabeth Skilbeck. He was orphaned as a young child. He was bought up by his aunty Betty Dowton. Matt worked on the land from a young age and first knew the Sugdens when he was 16 years old in about 1960. In the mid to late 1960s he met farmers daughter Peggy Sugden and they married in August 1965. Peggy was the daughter of Jacob and Annie Sugden. 1972-1989 In October 1972 when Jacob Sugden died Matt carried on helping out on the farm. The farm was bequethed to Jacob's eldest son Jack. Peggy, Matt's wife persuaded him to take a factory job in Bradford once she learned she was pregnant but Matt was seen as unskilled so stayed on in Beckindale. They moved into Hawthorn Cottage. In April 1973 Peggy gave birth to twins Sam and Sally Skilbeck. However, tragedy followed in July that year when she died suddenly of a subarachnoid haemorrhage. A devaststed Matt threw himself into his work. Due to her death Matt inherited her shares at Emmerdale Farm Ltd. In January 1976 the twins were set to live with the Aunt beattie but all 3 were killed in a car crash. In 1977 Matt started dating Woolpack barmaid Dolly Acaster. In 1978 a cousin of his, Polly Ferris turned up. Matt and Dolly married at St Mary's Beckindale on the 29th June 1978. The couple occupied the attic bedroom at Emmerdale Farm, and Dolly was welcomed to the house by Annie and Sam. Dolly suffered a miscarriage in 1980 but the Skilbecks finally had a son, Sam, in December 1982. This was the year that Matt converted the barn at the back of Emmerdale farm house into a cottage, a home for himself, Dolly and the new baby. In 1985 local villain Harry Mowlem began harrassing Dolly. This lead to an eventual struggle between Matt and Harry when he caught him stealing sheep in January 1986. Mowlem was found dead the next morning by Henry Wilks and Matt was arrested and charged with manslaughter. But he was later cleared when Derek Warner confessed to the crime. In 1987 Matt's luck was in as he found he had inherited Crossgill Farm off the previous owner. Dolly wanted to move in but the house burned down whilst undergoing renovations. The couple started to grow apart and Dolly had an affair. They eventually split up. In November 1989 Matt got into a bit of a war with Chris Tate, whose father had just bought Home Farm. Matt had been horrified to find that Chris was transporting sheep to Hotten Market with no regard for regulations designed for their comfort and safety. Frank Tate, Chris's father, was impressed by Matt's dedication to his work as a shepherd, and was instrumental in Matt being offered a new job. And so, in December 1989, Matt decided there was nothing left for him in Beckindale and accepted the offer to run a sheep farm in Norfolk. On the 7th December 1989 Matt Skilbeck left for Norfolk, never returning to Beckindale. Dolly and Sam later followed him and they remarried offscreen in 1992. First appearance '''Episode 1 (16th October 1972) '''Last appearance Episode 1410 (7th December 1989) Memorable info Family FATHER Oliver Skilbeck MOTHER Elizabeth Skilbeck SIBLINGS None SPOUSES ,. CHILDREN Category:Emmerdale characters. Category:Past characters. Category:Characters first seen in 1972. Category:Characters last seen in 1989. Category:Skilbeck family. Category:Original characters. Category:Farm hands. Category:1965 marriages. Category:1978 marriages.